The Festival of Trees is a much-anticipated celebration among the Santa Clarita Valley community that kicks off the holiday season.
But it’s not just about the glittering bells and stars, or the festive figurines and classic green, red, or white twinkling lights.
For many local dignitaries and leaders, at the root of the celebration is supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley because it provides children with a safe place after school, or during summer break to build connections, gain confidence, and strive to become overall good people.
Dozens of Christmas-themed trees of all sizes, and other festive decorations transformed the Canyon Country Community Center into a winter wonderland on Friday during the 23rd annual Festival of Trees and Magic of the Lights Gala.
The festival is set to run all weekend long. The Festival of Trees is open to the community for viewing on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Community Center.
Funds raised through the silent and live auction support all programs in the Boys & Girls Club of SCV from operational costs to making sure families continue to pay a nominal tuition fee of $60, said Pamela Verner, this year’s chair of the festival. Her husband Dennis Verner was also a chair.
“The staff, they’re really the ones that are mentoring the kids and watching the kids. They’re the ones that the kids have a direct relationship with,” Pamela said, but the programs don’t just help the children. It also helps parents know that their child is safe when they work long hours or don’t have much family support when caring for their young ones.
“There’s kids that come from single-parent families, and so the parents have to work, and they need somebody there for the kids after school,” Pamela said. “Just having a safe haven for the kids to come and get help with their homework, mentorship … I’d say is probably the biggest thing.”
As guests admired the trees, some of which were decorated in Los Angeles Dodgers World Series gear, and others that featured Labubu collectible figurines that blew up in popularity on social media, William S. Hart Union High School District governing board member Erin Wilson believed that the celebration wasn’t just to enjoy the holiday season but to also bring awareness to the organization.
“We have so many families where they’re being able to be serviced by the Boys and Girls Club, but having this outreach is a little bit broader. People can contribute and help the good cause,” Wilson said.
“It’s somewhere for students to go and nobody gets turned away, that’s why we have these fundraisers. It’s to fund for maybe those who can’t afford after-school care or childcare during the breaks,” added Hart District Superintendent Michael Vierra.
Matthew Nelson, CEO of the Boys & Girls of SCV, was filled with gratitude as the center was packed with people supporting the cause.
The organization is currently at 13 locations throughout the valley, 2,400 students are enrolled in the club, and approximately 800-900 students are served daily after school, and another 7,000 are reached through other outreach and program efforts, he said.
To create the festival, it takes an army of volunteers who begin the process as early as September, and Margie Hoffman returns every year to lend a hand, and throughout the years has also brought members of her family to join the effort.
On Saturday, as children and their families sat to watch performances and get a photo with Santa Claus, Hoffman walked along the perimeter of where the trees were located to catch any imperfection and adjust it.
Being of service through the behind the scenes is something that is fulfilling for them, because “the Boys and Girls Club does a lot for the community and the kids that need it. They really enjoy going there and participating,” she said. “It makes me feel good.”
“We face all the challenges any kind of business would, and we’re trying to help people,” Nelson said, but “Programs like this are life saving for families. For a kid who needs a little guidance, (has) no mentorship, it can be a deciding factor on them making some bad choices after school.”
